Microsoft Supports 4000 startups across the MENA region

Jan 7, 2019

startup

One of Satya Nadella’s vision as Microsoft CEO is to empower every organization and individual to achieve more. One of such’s is empowering startups with microsoft technologies to realise their visions.

In Africa, Microsoft is realizing this through the Microsoft 4Afrika initiative. Various programs like the BizSpark program (now Microsoft for Startups) and the recently launched Head Start program support Startup growth and scalability. The 4Afrika initiative boasts of 64 funded and 94 Startups it supports directly. Many other startups have received financial, technical and business support through partnerships with DEMO Africa, SeedStars, LaFactory, Technopark, Tony Elumelu Foundation, etc.

In a recent post by Sayed Hashish, Regional Manager, Microsoft Gulf region, he shared how Microsoft has “so far helped over 4000 startups across the region”. Sharing on how Microsoft lights up the Gulf startup scene, he said “we have entered into partnerships that will prove crucial to our commitment to boosting innovation through the MENA region”.

“By working with BECO Capital as exclusive technology partner and Bahrain FinTech bay as founding partner, Microsoft is trying to support early stage startups in the Gulf region”.

At Microsoft, we believe that cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) enable digital transformation, bringing the benefits to entire societies. That’s why we aim to help innovators launch and grow products using these advancements. Examples of startups empowered by access to our tools and services include TeachMeNow, an online platform for teachers who sell classes online, and KinTrans, a Dubai-based venture which took advantage of Microsoft Kinect to develop software that translated physical sign language.